I'm not surprised that Irvin didn't make it, given the historic difficulty that Dallas Cowboys players have had reaching the Hall. But how can there not be a single defensive player worthy of induction this year? The voting process is a joke.

The biggest joke is that Art Monk is still not in the Hall, he should have been a first ballot inductee ... this post is from a Redskin hater (EAGLES fan anhd Penn Stater that had him break the Birds' hearts and nearly the Nittany Lions', but gained my respect). He is the 80's Lynn Swann.

I'm not surprised that Irvin didn't make it, given the historic difficulty that Dallas Cowboys players have had reaching the Hall. Ok...I think I'm walking into some sort of trap here rcade...here it goes anyway. Maybe Irvin didn't make it because he is borderline? Maybe he lost some votes because he is an arogant prick that was busted for cocaine more than once in his career? He was a great receiver, and I certainly wouldn't complain if he was inducted. But I can also see passing him over. As for there being a Cowboy bias...they have 13 HOFers, which seems to be about average from this list...who is missing?

Hall of Fame voters are instructed to only consider what a player did on the field, according to a Houston Chronicle columnist. Lawrence Taylor is in the Hall. Ray Lewis will be too. Looking at Irvin's three rings, his numbers, and his place as a leader on the last dynasty in the NFL, I don't see how he doesn't rate Canton. But I expected him to be turned down for the same reason that Rayfield Wright, Cliff Harris, and Bob Hayes are not in the Hall: In spite of the Super Bowl wins, Dallas hasn't had good luck getting players voted in for 30 years. The Pittsburgh Steelers of the '70s have nine players in the Hall. The Cowboys of the era have four, five if you count Bob Lilly, which is a bit of a stretch since he's more of a '60s-era player. I'm being a total homer here, but the Cowboys were as close as one dropped Jackie Smith pass and one Fred Swearingen pass interference call to winning more rings in that era than the hated Steelers, and the Landry Cowboys were one of the league's most storied teams. There should be a few more Dallas players from that era in Canton.

rcade.... I'll agree that a compelling argument can be made to put Irvin in...but I also think there is an argument to keep him out. Voters aren't supposed to take off the field stuff into consideration but you know that personal opinion affects judgement. LT is one of those guys that won't get in trouble even when he is in trouble...if you get my meaning. Irvin doesn't seem to enjoy that same Teflon coating. In my opinion he will make it eventually. As for the Cowboys from those 70's teams I'll have to take your word on Wright, Harris or Hayes' credentials. My (albeit limited) impression of the Cowboys from that era is that they are similar to the Pats of today...great teams without a bunch of 'stars'.

Color me confused: Is the NFL Hall of Fame the same thing as the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which (I thought) inducts members in the late summer? Or are there two different halls of fame -- which one is *the* one in Canton, OH?

Somebody pointed out to me what a shame it is that druggies like Irvin can get in while heroes like Pat Tillman don't because the focus is on what you did between the foul lines, not what kind of person you were off the field.

what a shame it is that druggies like Irvin can get in while heroes like Pat Tillman don't What? Justify that comment in football terms, please. That's like complaining that Ty Cobb is in the Baseball Hall of Fame instead of me. I'm a much nicer guy. Sure I have about 4000 less career hits, but still.

Without getting into specifics of who gets in (that is, the absence of Monk or Irvin, not the Tillman vs. LT debate) I do appreciate that the NFL is much more selective than other sports. Better to err on the side of too few, IMO, and let the fans argue.

I think six (or previously seven) inductees is too few -- the NFL has added a lot of teams since those rules were set, and it leads to absurdities like three quarterbacks and no defensive players being admitted this year. If the number was higher, the Hall wouldn't look bad for leaving out Richard Dent, Derrick Thomas and their 264 career sacks.

I agree - the favoritism shown toward the marquee positions is too limiting. Too many really great, consistent players are being left out. I don't think it's as much of a problem in a sport like baseball or basketball - where your career doesn't require the same kind of physical sacrifice - but in football - man, these guys are being killed out there. Throw them a bone. Though, I wouldn't go the NHL route - where everyone and their brother is enshrined.